I was shocked by my recent discovery that used Aston Martin models are starting to dip below $30,000. In my mind, it doesn't seem possible that a modern-era Aston could start diving into hooptie territory -- but there are currently three listed on Autotrader you can purchase right now for less than a fully-loaded Honda Accord. For the sake of mankind, I'm not sure this is a good thing.

My investigation took me to Orlando, Florida (actually, a work conference took me there), where a certain famous Aston Martin is located. No, this Aston doesn't have an ejector seat or rocket launchers. Rather, it was made famous by a man named DeMuro, Doug DeMuro -- who probably orders his virgin strawberry daiquiri stirred, not shaken, with extra whipped cream.

A little over a year ago, Doug sold this 2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage to another Youtuber named Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez for $36,000. Doug's final video on his Aston documented the cost after a year of ownership, which totalled a staggering $23,000. Just for reference, this DougCar cost way more to own than my two years with a high-mileage V12 Mercedes, or swapping a LS V8 from a Corvette into my Porsche 911. For $23,000, you could almost buy a really sketchy Bentley Continental GT, as well -- but for some reason, you all think I'm the crazy one?

Anyway, the new owner has experienced plenty of issues, but nothing that's left him stranded. Freddy is procrastinating on a few repairs, like the heat sensitive starter -- while regularly battling others, such as the air conditioning. Tavarish was kind enough to drive an hour to my hotel and bring me back to his home to film a video. Along the way, we drove through a decent rain storm. Somehow, this rain water channeled its way into the trunk -- and soaked my camera bag (Editor's Note: I had this problem, too!!! -- Doug).

After ensuring my equipment wasn't ruined by the Aston, we began filming. Of course, this car is gorgeous, but one of my focuses in the video is showing how things get pretty ugly beneath the surface. The car somehow functions with a mess of parts from Ford, Volvo, Jaguar and who knows how many others. Apparently, this makes locating spare parts more affordable. For example, Freddy was able to find a matching starter out of a Land Rover for only $200. Unfortunately, reaching all the bolts requires removing the exhaust manifold -- unless the job is performed by someone with child-sized hands.

Freddy has outfitted this car with lowering springs and a loud exhaust, mods which seem to be required by law if you're a YouTuber -- but the Aston still felt smooth and civilized. I was surprised by how comfortable I immediately felt when driving it. There's a bit of wind noise, probably coming from a perished door seal -- but otherwise, the car didn't look or feel like it was over a decade old.

If you look at current Autotrader listings, there's one V8 Vantage with a 6-speed manual listed for only $32,950 -- which is crazy cheap. Higher mileage automatic cars occasionally pop up for under $30,000, while older DB7s can regularly be found in the high-$20,000 range. This means the average guy going through his mid-life crisis could probably swing the monthly payment on an Aston Martin -- only to get financially destroyed once it inevitably begins to break. Considering the lack of aftermarket parts support, and how difficult these can be to work on, even wrench-happy enthusiasts might find ownership challenging.

Hopefully this trend of cheap Astons doesn't get too widespread, because who could resist being James Bond? The housing collapse started the last great recession -- but too many cheap Aston Martins might trigger the next one. Think of all the families with wiped out retirement savings because Dad ditched his Camry after seeing a silver Aston Martin parked on a corner for $29,995.

I might be blowing this a bit out of proportion, but if it happens, remember that you read it here first.

Tyler Hoover went broke after 10 years in the car business and now sells hamburgers to support his fleet of needy cars. He lives in Wichita, Kansas.

This image is a stock photo and is not an exact representation of any vehicle offered for sale. Advertised vehicles of this model may have styling, trim levels, colors and optional equipment that differ from the stock photo.

You Can Now Buy an Aston Martin for Under $30,000 -- But Should You? - Autotrader